Velankanni Church

Tamil Nadu
Velankanni Church is dedicated to Our
Lady of Good Health
This holy shrine was
constructed in the memory
of Our Lady of Good Health.
She was renowned among
the people for possessing
miraculous powers.
Dedicated to Virgin Mary,
this church is popular as a
Sacred Arogya Matha
Church.
 The Structure
Representing a Gothic
style of architecture, the
building of the church is
painted white, while the
roof is covered with red
tiles.
 Construction
It is said that Mother Mary
once visited this shrine with
Jesus in the 16th century. It is
also said that Mother Mary
appeared in the dreams of
Father Arulappa and expressed
her desire of having a church
in her name. For constructing
the same, Arulappa finally
established an Annai
Velankanni Church at the site.
 Appration of Our Lady to the
Shepherd boy
Mary asked for milk from
the shepherd boy in order
to feed baby Jesus. The
apparition took place
under a banyan tree
beside a pond. The pond
thereafter came to be
known as Matha Kulam
(“Our Lady’s Pond”).
 Apparition of Our Lady to the Butter
-Milk Boy
Mary asked for milk from the
butter milk boy in order to
quench thirst of the baby, the
baby she had was known to be
Lord Jesus. This site was then
marked with the construction
of a thatched chapel. Virgin
Mary reappeared in the 16th
century and this incidence
further lead to the
construction of the
Velankanni church
 The Lourdes of the East
The Virgin Mary is alleged
to possess magical healing
powers which attract
many pilgrims from
different religion coming
here to what is called the
Lourdes of East . In the
alter, nestles the statue
enshrined as Our Lady of
Health.
 Rescue of the Portuguese Sailors
from the dangerous sea storm
After the safe landing
of the Portuguese
sailors, from the
dangerous sea storm
,they constructed a
chapel for the Blessed
Virgin Mary ; just as
they promised.
 
 The Path and Our Lady’s Tank
A sand path, a little more than
5km long, runs between the
basilica and Our Lady's Tank
Church, the site of one of the
appearances of the Virgin
Mary and a place where
pilgrims go for holy water.
Along the path, which is lined
by Stations of the Cross,
devotees crawl the full
distance on their knees in acts
of penance or self-offering
 The Morning Star Church
The newly built Morning Star
Church can seat 10,000
people - making it the largest
church in India.
The paintings and carvings
include images of ‘Last
Supper’, ‘the Host and Wine’,
‘Virgin Mary of Velankanni’,
‘Five Bread and Two Fish’,
‘wheat kernels and grapes’
and the alpha and omega
symbols.
 Tourism
Annually, 20
million pilgrims
flock to the
shrine from all
over India and
abroad.